There’s something about a buddy movie that is always entertaining. The mismatched pair of personalities, thrown together under stressful circumstances, has been the go-to premise of action movies and comedies for a very long time. Writer Shane Black was one of the pioneers of this plot device – delivering the polished, classic screenplay of Lethal Weapon in 1987, which launched a decade-long franchise. Now, after making his move into directing, with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Iron Man 3, Black is returning to his beloved buddy trope, with The Nice Guys – for which we now have a full-length trailer.
The mismatched buddies in this case are Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe – which might just be excellent casting. The type of comedy showcased in this trailer is exactly where Gosling shines brightest, and it is deeply refreshing to see Russell Crowe indulging a lighter side, while playing with his ‘tough guy’ persona a little. As a pair, the two leads also appear to enjoy a great deal of comedic chemistry – which is exactly what is needed for a Shane Black movie.
This sort of film – with this level of comedy, mixed with this brand of action – tends to live or die in the editing room. Thankfully, in addition to having Shane Black at the helm, The Nice Guys benefits from the editing of Joel Negron, whose work includes 21 Jump Street and xXx. All in all, things are looking very good for the film, which hits theatres on May 20th 2016.